Template for Plywood Subfloor

[Wes]

Hi everyone. I just joined google groups so hello! Ok, I just ripped out my wed-bed tile bathroom (what a PAIN) and I am now down to the floor boards. I am going to put in plywood as my subfloor (3/4"). My question is, I am having a HARD time with cutting it to fit right. I have some weird pertrusions in my walls as well as my pipes coming out of the floor.

Any suggestions on cutting the plywood? Someone suggested template...any thoughts or tricks of the trade?

Thanks, Wes

[RicodJour]

Yep.

I like tick sticking. Scroll down to the picture, it's easier to understand than by reading the wordy explanation. It's one of those thing where you can mark the tic stick quickly using a couple pieces of scrap, layout the tick/template on the work piece and cut a perfect fit every time. It's one of those things that other guys on the site will see you do and, after seeing a quick effortless cut, ask "How'd you do that? Show me."

R

[Bob]

I like to lay builders paper on the floor as close as possible and run a protractor along the wall, drawing a line on the builders paper, then cut the paper to make a template.

[Larry Bud]

On "Ask this Old House" they were laying vinyl tile in an odd shaped small kitchen.

What he did was similar to what you did. Take builder's paper, took his square up against each wall (the square was 2" wide) and transferred the line from the wall to the paper, which made the line on the paper 2" shorter in all directions due to the width of the square.

Taped the paper on the tile he was cutting, then retransferred the line again using his square so that the line was 2" LARGER than the template. Then cut on the line.

[EXT]

Use the method used by countertop installers. Rip a bunch of 1/8 hardboard strips about 2 to 3 inches wide. Cut them to length to fit with sheet metal snips and glue them into an outline template with hot melt glue. Add braces and surround areas for pipes (with gaps to remove the template, if needed) and use to cut your plywood.